When to use it
You have URL and want to check it through safe, legal, source-based research.
Back to workflows
Evidence workflow
Collect evidence without creating privacy harm.
A workflow for keeping URLs, screenshots, archives, and notes in a reusable structure.
Passive and safe research workflow
What you get
Clean evidence row and verification status.
Safety boundary
This workflow is not for exploitation, probing, or unauthorized scanning. It reads public records, records dates and uncertainty, and avoids turning signals into final claims.
Simple order
Work through the steps in order.
Open an evidence row
Record date, source name, URL, and short description.
Check: The source can be found again.
Add capture or archive
Keep screenshot context or archive URL next to the source row.
Check: A screenshot is not presented as the only proof.
Separate finding and interpretation
Write what is visible, what is inferred, and what is missing.
Check: A reader can separate evidence from analysis.
Reduce private data
Remove or generalize unnecessary personal details.
Check: Only needed information remains.
Real tools to open
Report language
The evidence record keeps source, date, visible content, interpretation, and privacy limits separate.
Move to evidence notesSources
Start with these sources.
Access Now Digital Security Helpline
OPSEC and researcher safety
Use to protect the researcher, reduce exposure, and avoid unnecessary collection.
Open sourceBellingcat Online Investigation Toolkit
Verification and fact-checking
Use to separate claim, source, evidence, and interpretation.
Open sourceCISA Cybersecurity Best Practices
OPSEC and researcher safety
Use to protect the researcher, reduce exposure, and avoid unnecessary collection.
Open sourceCISA Report Cyber Issues
Reporting templates
Use to keep evidence, interpretation, limits, and confidence separate.
Open sourceEFF Surveillance Self-Defense
OPSEC and researcher safety
Use to protect the researcher, reduce exposure, and avoid unnecessary collection.
Open sourceFreedom of the Press Foundation Training
OPSEC and researcher safety
Use to protect the researcher, reduce exposure, and avoid unnecessary collection.
Open source